Breathing assistance systems are used to provide various types of breathing assistance to patients. For example, a ventilator provides mechanical ventilation to a patient by delivering pressurized gas (e.g., air and/or supplemental oxygen) to the patient through a breathing circuit connected to the patient by a connection device, e.g., an endotracheal tube or a nose or face mask. A ventilator may provide ventilation according to any of a variety of well-known ventilation modes, e.g., assist/control (A/C) ventilation, volume controlled ventilation, pressure controlled ventilation, and synchronous intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) ventilation. Each of such modes may provide or allow for one or more types of breaths, including mandatory breaths, assisted breaths, and/or spontaneous breaths.
Another example breathing assistance system is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system. CPAP therapy has become a common prescription for individuals suffering from sleep apnea and/or other breathing ailments. Such therapy may involve placement of a nose or face mask on the subject during sleeping, while positive pressure air is continuously delivered from a CPAP box to the patient through a breathing circuit connected to the patient by a connection device, e.g., a nose or face mask. In this manner, positive pressure air may be delivered to the patient's upper airway in order to prevent the upper airway tissues from collapsing during sleep, thus reducing the occurrence and/or severity of sleep apnea.